Sly Cooper Love or Law
by ArrowStrider
Summary: Sly's secret about amnesia is let out and Sly and Carmelita are on the outside of Interpole again. Who is the mysterious head of the Axe Gang. And in the end will Carmelita choose Sly or her badge. SlyxCarm, partial romance, action, adventure. some langue
1. Chapter 1

**Sly Cooper**

**Chapter I**The Set Up

Paris

Apartment building 689

3:00am

Friday

_Ring_

_Ring_

_Ring_

Sly's eyes shot open and he dizzily looked around the room. The TV had been left on, looked like law and order, he his half drunk beer was still there, next to it was the phone. Sly lazily reached for the phone but only accomplished in knocking it off the table resulting him falling off the couch going after it.

_Ring_

_Ring_

_Ring_

Finally Sly managed to answer the phone, "Hello."

"Hello Constable it's Barkley," answered Barkley's voice.

Sly looked at his watch before replying, "Chief it's three in the morning."

"I'm well aware of the time constable, I need you to come down here with Inspector Fox, there was a robbery at a museum $1,000,000,000 worth of art was stolen."

"I guess I'll be there in ten, have you called Carmelita yet?" asked Sly curiously.

"She's on her way, just get down here."

Sly got his jacket and went and got his shock pistol out of the safe. Next thing Sly was out the door and tiredly walking down the stairs when something took out his legs from under him and he went tumbling down the stairs. Sly rolled down the stairs helplessly for a second but then he hit a stair strangely and Sly was sent flying, on the plus side he landed on something soft.

Sly looked down to see none other but Inspector Carmelita Fox. Sly was lost for word and all that came out of his mouth was, "Hello beautiful."

"Get off-f me ringtail," Carmelita ordered.

Sly did as he was told and helped Carmelita to her feet. "Sorry Sly I was running and I must have tripped."

"Ah, don't bother, I'll live. So what do you think about this robbery?" Sly asked as he followed her down the stairs.

"You never really know until you get there but I think it's that _Arrow Strider_ gang again."

"Huh... good guess, they have been taking a lot of risks lately."

10min later

The two arrived at Interpol where they met Barkly at his desk, a stern look on his face. On his desk lied a file that said **Police Eyes Only**. Barkly took a few last puffs from his cigar beggar putting it out in an ash tray he kept hidden in his desk. "Finely!" he screamed as Sly and Carmelita walked in.

"I swear it's those darn Arrow Striders again. The Guards were subdued and removed exactly as all their other crimes. They even left their famous calling card; an arrow with a red ribbon tied to it," explained Barkly. "How very typical of them."

"Um, sir," Carmelita interrupted. "If you already know who it is, then why are we here?"

Barkly rolled his eyes, "To do your job! What else, then to catch them before they hit someone else. Here-" Barkly hand the file on his desk to Carmelita "-look this over before you head down there."

Carmelita skimmed over it then handed it over to Sly. He opened the file finding detailed pictures of the crime scene, with a slit grin Sly shut the file and said. "They didn't do it."

"What?!" gasped Barkly.

"They didn't do it," Sly repeated.

"Cooper you'd have to be mad to even think that the Striders didn't do it," stated Carmelita.

"Ah, but they really didn't do it, it's a set up. In all their other thefts they only took the luxury major pieces of merchandise but here I can see that they took everything, and there were too many guards. More then what the meagre Arrow Strider gang could take care of." Sly explained in a smug voice.

Barkly, with his mouth so wide open he could lick the floor, asked, "If they didn't do it then who did?"

"Oh I'd guess by this quality forgery, numbers, and may I say incompetence, the _Axe Gang_. Their almost the mafia of today, only more low-key and more burglaries," yawned Sly.

Carm's eyes shot wide open, "The-the Axe Gang. W-why would they try to frame the Arrow Striders?" she stuttered

Rubbing his eyes Sly explained, "Because they were getting a little too powerful for the Axe gang's taste, so they framed them with the biggest heist they could think of, hoping we'd finally catch them. Ingenious really."

"Grrr, nobody uses Interpol as their stool pigeon, I'm reassigning you two. Find the head to their operations and cut it off." Barkly growled.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sly Cooper**

**Chapter II**Black mail.

Paris

Apartment building 689

5:12am

Friday

Sly lazily stepped back into his apartment, hanging his jacket up on the rack. Sly stretched his arms yawning, while trying to see what time the cloak on the wall said.

"Twelve past, man, that took longer than I thought," thought Sly aloud.

Once Sly and Carmelita were through with Barkly, they had to head down town, process the crime scene, and then came back to head quarters and fill out their reports. Sly knew that he would only get about an hour of sleep and decided to make the best of it. He found his beer, right where he left it, he took one last gulp before putting it down again and heading for bed.

_Ring _

_Ring_

_Ring_

Sly's eyes shot back to the phone. _Now what?_ He thought. Probably Barkly again, something _mysterious_ that couldn't wait till morning. No. Carmelita maybe, tell him a job well done... maybe, or to make sure their date was still on for Saturday. It sure was nice of her to help him get this apartment, and how very convenient that she bought the whole amnesia thing. _Too bad I hadn't thought of that sooner_, Sly thought.

All this zipped through Sly's head faster than a bullet and Sly went and snatched the phone.

"Hello," Sly said.

"Hello, Mr Cooper," said an unfamiliar voice.

"Hello who is this?"

"No questions Mr Cooper, we know about your little tip at Interpol today, very good eye constable. But you've put a kink in our plans, and I cannot allow that. The day after tomorrow you'll find some damming evidence that proves the Arrow Strider gang is guilty of the robbery tonight," the voice paused. "The reason you're doing this is because we know your little secret, _amnesia_, indeed," growled the voice.

"Guh!" Sly gasped.

"If you don't do as we say, we'll tell your little girlfriend that your memory is still well intact. Furthermore, the police have just gotten an anemones tip that two certain police officers... are part of the Arrow Strider gang," laughed the voice. "If you agree to our terms we'll produce the evidence to free both of you."

"Y-you're bluffing."

"Oh am I." The voice paused again, there was some talking but it was all gargle, and then total silence. "We have no patience Mr. Cooper, your Girl knows."

"Ah!" screamed Sly.

"I gave you your chance, no need to run I'd say that Interpol will be at your door in, oh, I don't know 10, 9, 8, 7-" Sly didn't listen to the rest of the countdown. He knew the voice wasn't bluffing.

Shock pistol in hand, Sly ran into the stairwell looking over the edge of the rail and saw a SWAT team heading up. He couldn't go down which only left him with up. Sly raced up the stairs leaping over four or five stairs at a time. All that mattered now was getting to Carmelita, warning her, and try to explain himself without ending their relationship.

Carmelita was two floors up and Sly was well on his way when a second SWAT team started heading down the stairs. His thief senses still working, Sly leaped onto the railing, turned, and then jumped up catching of the railing of the floor above him. He pulled himself up and dashed towards Carmelita's room.

He found the door unlocked and went in finding a dark room. "Carmelit-"

Sly was cut off by something smashing over his head; he fell to his knees cradling his skull. The lights switched on and he heard Carmelita's sweet voice say, "Oh Sly! I'm sorry."

She kneeled beside him continuing trying to apologise, "I'm so, so, so sorry Sly I thought you were one of those SWAT guys." And then Carmelita found her anger again.

Standing up she kicked Sly in the side making him smash into the wall. "You've still been a thief all this time your rate! I can't believe you would do that to me," she cried almost in tears.

Carmelita went for another kick but Sly put up his hand for her to stop, "This isn't the time or the place, later I'll let you break my nose."

"FINE!" she screamed. "But once this is all sorted out I'm finally taking you in."

"You always say that," chuckled Sly. Carmelita smiled and giggled.

Sly stood and found a broken wine bottle on the floor, probably what Carmelita used to bludgeoned him with. As he brushed the glass out of his hair, there was a knock at the door.

"Inspector Fox open up, police!" they shouted.

Carmelita looked at Sly, her eyes saying _what now_. Sly desperately looked around the room and saw a window at the end of a hall. He looked from the window, to Carm, back to the window.

"Sly...?" asked Carmelita.

Sly grabbed her hand and started running full speed at the window. "Sly! No! I think this is a really bad-" they smashed through the window, "-Ideaaaaaaaaaaa!"

As they soared through the air, broken shards of glass went soaring like shrapnel; Sly stretched his arm out reaching for the fire escape on the neighbouring building. _Smash!_ Sly and Carmelita banged off the metal rail of the escape and down they plummeted. _Ha, ha, funny_, thought Sly, _I might die and all I can think of is 'Oh crap!'_ Sly stretched out his arm again this time catching the railing of the fire escape, below the one he was aiming for.

It took a few second but then Sly realized, "Hey we made it."

"Speak for yourself." moaned Carmelita, who had looked like a mess, ripped clothes, a couple cuts, and a bruise was starting to appear on her left cheek where her face hit the railing.

"Oh... Sorry," apologized Sly.

Then police sirens started coming from one end of the ally, interrupting that very tender moment. They were about two storeys up now and there was only one quick way down. Then again Sly didn't like the idea of breaking an ankle more than anyone. Sly's eye's quickly scanned the alleyway finding just what he was looking for.

"Hey Carm?" asked Sly in his most sweet voice he could muster.

"Yes."

"You think you could drop into that garbage dumpster from here?" asked Sly wincing.

Carmelita looked, "Yea probably but... -" her eyes shot back to Sly, "-No Sly wait."

He let go of the railing and down they went again smashing into _quote_ _unquote_ soft, garbage. Carmelita burst out of the trash, like a lion, screaming. Sly popped up too shortly after Carmelita sprang out smacking the pieces of trash that had stuck to her cloths.

Authors Notes

You may find that in a lot of my stories that LOVE, and ROMANCE is pretty common and this one's no different.

What can I say? I'm a helpless romantic.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sly Cooper**

**Chapter III**The Gang Reborn

Paris

Back ally

5:16am

Friday

Sly toppled out of the dumpster spitting out a banana peel, which had been forced into his mouth when they crashed. Looking up, Sly saw Carmelita beaming over him, garbage still caught in her hair. Her eyes were on fire, and if she grinded her teeth anymore she just might lose them. "COOPER!" She growled.

"Yes..." Sly winced.

"If you ever do anything like that again, I'm going to break more than just your nose," Carmelita hissed.

Sly chuckled, "I did promise to let you do that, didn't I?"

Footsteps started coming from one end of the ally and they were both running again only taking a second to look back. Dozens upon dozens of SWAT teams were pouring down the alley like an angry hive of fire ants. Sly and Carmelita left the ally and started twisting and turning through the streets as fast as their legs could carry them.

Sly leaped over an empty vender calling, "You know, we should really do this more often," to Carmelita. She didn't respond.

Sly and Carm were fast, but only just barely enough to keep ahead. The SWAT was hot on their tails. _We Need a miracle_ Sly said to himself. "Turn right I know a short cut," stated Sly.

Turning a corner they found a low stone bridge built over a road that was completely baron, it stood just tall enough to fit a van under through it (only just), but that didn't matter. What was on the bridge was what stopped Carmelita and Sly dead in their tracks. A SWAT team.

_We could jump the bridge_, stated a voice in Sly's head,_ to what end they'll just follow us_, combated another.

_We could shoot our way out._

_Two shock pistols against dozens._

_Hide._

_Where?_

His mind fought itself until he realized, it was hopeless.

"Put your weapons down and your hands on your head!" ordered a voice from the crowd of policemen.

Slowly Sly did as he was told putting his pistol down, Carmelita was about to do the same but before she could-

_URRRR_

-A roar of an engine went on the road underneath the bridge, a van barrelling down it. Both Sly and Carmelita new it at once, it was the gang's old van with Murry behind the wheel. What they had to do next seemed obvious, _jump_. Turning they rushed the one side of the bridge just as the van was passing under it.

With a wall of sparks of the van scratching the bridge, Sly and Carmelita smashed into the van grabbing at whatever they could. The back doors of the van flew open and a familiar voice called to them.

"Get in!" shouted Bently.

Nobody had to tell Sly twice but climbing from the roof of a van to the rear end while it was traveling a hundred miles per hour seemed like stupidity. Carmelita decided to go fist letting herself slide and then grabbing onto the edge of the van, pulling herself in Sly could hear her shout, "Your turn Cooper!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Sly Cooper**

**Chapter IV **A Breather

Paris

Smithen St.

5:20 pm

Friday

Sly began to slide down the roof of the van, he wasn't as confident as Carm was. Inch by inch he moved but then the van swerved. The amount of straight road had run out and Murry had to turn. Sly was whipped from the roof almost being thrown off, barley able to grab the antenna. Ground was passing at a hundred mph under him and he almost lost his grip. If he fell now it would mean death. Closing his eye Sly tightened his grip and pulled himself back onto the roof.

Sly let out a sigh of relief when he heard, "Sly! Hang on!"

It was Murry, Sly looked all around but saw nothing until _boom!_ Speed bump.

The whole van bounced and sparks flew. Now Sly was really thrown only this time backwards, thinking quickly he reached out for one of the open doors. He screamed, he continued to fall and caught nothing, _I going to die, and she hates me_, Sly thought. Then he felt his hand clutching onto one of the open doors. _Thank god_, Sly thought.

His feet dragged behind the van, the inside just out of his reach. For a moment he didn't think he was going to make it when he felt a hand grabbing his, his eyes fallowed the hand to the arm and body of Carmelita. In one swift movement she ripped him into the van slamming the door behind him.

5:46 pm

The Hide Out

Murry carried Sly and set him on the couch. His leg was bleeding pretty badly from the chase and there was almost nothing left of his right pant leg. Carmelita followed right behind Bentley, shock pistol in hand.

Bentley found his desk and found a light, switching it on, he quickly opened one of the compartments on top of his desk pulling out some gauze and a towel. Bentley disappeared into one of the doors of the hide out and quickly returned with a water bottle.

"How is his leg Bentley?" asked Murry.

"Oh he'll be fine so long as he doesn't get an infection," Bentley stated wetting the towel and cleaning the gashes on Sly's leg.

Carmelita found a seat across the room from Sly, her shock pistol cradled in her hands. "Sly."

Sly looked at her

"Who did this?" she asked near tears.

Sly paused, "The Axe gang"

"Why?"

"We knew about what they did tonight and so they tied to black mail me into helping them make it look like it was still the Arrowstrider gang. I refused, hmm, seems like the dumb thing to do in hindsight," sighed Sly.

"_Sniff-_ Why did you lie?" asked Carmelita wiping away a tear.

"About what, AH! dang it Bentley that stings." Snapped Sly, Bentley rolled his eyes and continued to try and clean Sly's wound.

"Amnesia, why did you pretend to forget," demanded Carm.

"... I thought that that would seem obvious."

A long acquired silence stole the room. Sly looked at Carmelita, Carmelita looked at Sly, and Bentley tried to be invisible. Tears started rolling from Carm's eyes.

"Okay, now how are you going to get me out of this, how do we clear my name?" whimpered Carmelita.

"Carm I-I... I don't think we can this time," stated Sly. "This is a much different situation then with Cloak-La, and since you've already been suspected of being dirty, I doubt they'd even listen to a word you said before they locked you up."

Carmelita swallowed hard, "excuse me," she said before leaving the room.

Sly looking around the room in helplessness he smashed his against the wall creating a giant creator, he gird his teeth swallowing the pain.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sly Cooper**

**Chapter V **Plans

Paris

Smithen St.

11:30 am

Friday

Bentley Murry and Sly sat around Bentley's desk hovering over some blue prints. Carmelita walked in, her hair was a mess, bags under her eyes, and she looked as pale as a ghost. It seemed clear that she cried herself to sleep. She walked over asking, "What's going on?"

Sly was the first to speak, "The Axe gang will assume that we'll go underground and lie low."

"Are you?" Carm asked.

"You beat _we _are." Stated Sly, "But first we're going to kick'em in the balls!"

A grin came across Carm's face, "If that's what you're doing... then count me in."

Sly's heart skyrocketed, '_she's staying, I still might be able to save this_,' Sly blushed, "So good to have a lady around the gang again."

Sly could almost see Carm giggle.

"First we're going to hit them where it hurts. In their wallets," remarked Bentley. "And I've found their piggy back. It's under tight lock and key, right here in Paris..." he paused "...The head of security is a Tom Barker. Roughest toughest pit-bull you'll ever meet."

"This Barker will be nothing for... the Murry," Murry boasted cracking his knuckles.

"He's hiding their vault in a private library out of the public eye. He has guards posted outside every door. Which means we'll have to come in through the roof, but there's a problem, Barker has hidden their vault in a maze underneath the library; a maze with more twists and turns then a plate of spaghetti. This means we'll need someone to sniff it out for us." Bentley explained.

"Who'd you have in mind Bentley?" Asked Sly.

"Ben Blue, nicknamed Fang."

"Fang ay, what's his talent?" Questioned Murry.

Bentley took out a mug shot of an, extremely tall, muscular, wolf with black fur, "He has senses like no one else on earth, he can smell a strawberry a mile away..."

"Where is this master of the smell Bentley?" The Murry asked.

Sly answered for him, "We're going to have to spring him from prison."

"YEA! Let's do it!" screamed Murry.

Bentley and Murry started planning... and... well, Murry watched, Bentley plan. Meanwhile Carm seemed to drift away and Sly followed. "Is there something wrong?" Sly asked.

"Uh!"she jumped, "Oh, sorry Sly you startled me. It's just... I can't steal from anybody, I can't break the law."

'_This is it. I have to say this, it's the only thing that might change her mind towards me,_' "Carmelita, I'm sorry but, I've never robbed from somebody who wasn't out to get everybody else. Think back, every time you chase me bad guys seemed to pop up."

"I, uh..."

"I love you Carm, and I'd like to think that you love me too so you'll have to choose Carmelia, love or law? _Pause for effect-"_ he mumbled "But no need to choose now, let's finish this heist first."

Carmelita went from shocked and scared, to happy and clam. "Oh Sly you-." She stopped, and went around him, as she passed she gave him a peck on the cheek.


	6. Chapter 6

Paris

Stephen St.

Tuesday

12:02pm

A disguised Sly and Murry, walk along the catwalks of Black Iron Prison. Some prisoners sulked in the dark shadowy corners of their cells, other screamed and rattled cups and spoon on the metal bars, screaming at the top of their lungs. Sly and Murry kept their heads low fearing a permanent stay. They looked in all the cells inspecting each and every inmate. Guards were station at the two entrances and exits inside the building; they were lazily leaning against the wall, pretending to be interested in their job.

Finally the two came across a blank cell. It was all but empty with a silhouetted figure sat with his legs crossed in the moon light from his bared window. Sly pulled his communicator out of his pocket and spoke into it.

"Got him Bentley cell 023," stated Sly.

"023 got it, this'll go off without a hitch," replied the turtle.

"HEY!" shouted a nameless voice, "I know you your Sly Cooper!"

The two sleepy guards jumped at the name. They search the catwalks until they spotted Sly and Cooper. They'd both get a big promotion if they were to be the ones to catch the great Sly Cooper. The guards bolted for the catwalks.

"You had to jinx it didn't you Bentley," whispered Sly. With the guards closing in on them Sly shouted, "Jump!"

The partners in crime leapt from the catwalks hitting the ground with a thud. They threw themselves to their feet Sly planned quickly, "I have an idea, you make sure Blue doesn't leave his cell and I'll take care of the rest.

"All right, it is no problem for the Murry."

The two broke and headed in opposite directions, Murry for the nearest stair to the catwalks and Sly to the electric door locks. The guards had started to mobilize; one headed towards Murry the other for Sly. One guard pulled out his shock pistol and went to take aim at Murry but he grabbed the catwalks railings at the bottom and shook. The guard lost his balance and was thrown from the catwalks allowing Murry to climb. Sly reached the electric lock and with one switch, all the cell doors in the prison flew open and an alarm sounded. The guard going for Sly didn't have a chance; the prisoners leapt out of their cell grabbing the man and ripped his shock pistol from his hands. Sly then returned to the catwalks fighting the crowd of prisoners flowing towards him, he found Blue's cell again thinking to find Murry pinning Blue to the ground instead found Blue still sitting there and Murry looking at him puzzled.

"Why aren't you try'in to escape?" asked Murry still puzzled.

Blue looked up, saying in a weak voice, "Kid I'm a master of escape, I've broken out of thirteen different prisons and only here have I ever failed an attempt." He paused, "I know this place better than anyone and right know there are 500 guards are already sourounding the complex meaning the only way out is behind me, through the window. Then again it's a sheer drop to a rocky death."

Suddenly there was an explosion behind Ben Blue sending him rolling forwards. There now was a giant hole in the side of the prison big enough to drive a car through. Then a harpoon shot through the hole and dug into the ceiling, the harpoon had wire attached to it. On the other end of the wire was Bentley in a speed boat waiting for his partners to slide down the rope. Sly and Murry both threw off their disguises revealing harness strapped around the bellies. First Murry clipped onto the wire and he slid all the way down to the speed boat almost sinking it.

"Ready to go Ben?" Sly asked.

The wolf looked at Sly, then the wire, and then Sly again and he grinned. Sly clipped in and Ben grabbed hold of him and they both slid into freedom.

Upon landing on the boat Bentley detached the wire and Murry hit the gas and they were off. Breathing hard the wolf managed to say, "Thanks for spring. I owe you guys, need anything anytime, consider it done."

"Funny you should ask..." started Sly. "How do you feel about the Axe gang?"

Ben spit of his shoulder, "Let's say I'd like grind them into dust."

Paris

William St.

Sunday

3:00pm

Sly, Ben and Carm ran down the back street of the Library. Carm took cover while Ben and Sly scaled the wall. Sly used his cane but Ben only used his hands, they seemed to keep up with each other pretty well. Once Sly pulled himself onto the roof, he searched all around until spotting the fire escape, it was a ladder that would slide down when weight is put on it. Sly Grabbed the ladder and it skyrocketed towards the ground landing in front of Carmelita. "Need a hand maim?"

"Ahhhh, you care," she said as she grabbed the ladder and started climbing up. Once everyone was on the roof they could look through the sky window, and all the guards below.

"Bentley will be using the sleeping gas right about..." trailed on Sly. Suddenly green gas filled the room and there were shouts and screams for a moment but then everything was quiet. The gas lifted and all the guards were sound asleep. "... now. Okay let's do it"

Sly broke the glass with his cane and, grabbing the book shelves and sliding down edges. Ben followed, but just used a book shelf as a ladder. Ben and Sly looked up at Carmelita. Sly pushed Ben back a foot saying, "Back up a foot."

"Why?"

Sly raised his arms out in front of him, "Carmelita Fox isn't the best at subtlety."

"Ahhhhhh!" screamed Carm who had just lost her grip on the shelf falling straight in Sly's arms. She cocked her head towards Ben and said, "I'm not half as useless as I seem."

"I never once though useless, not for a moment," Ben replied.

Sly put Carm down and turned to the wolf, "Alright Ben let's see that talent of yours in action."

Ben smiled, "Alright here we go," he took a big whiff of the air. "Hmm a busy place but mostly old smells, there's a fresher, more reoccurring sent. Yes, yes this way."

They followed Ben through the maze of a library in all of its twists and turns until he stopped at a single book case saying, "Alright the trail goes behind this book case."

"Alright, but it looks pretty heavy, where's the Murry when you need him," stated Sly.

"No need," Ben grabbed the book case in both hands and in one quick movement ripped the book case in two like a piece of paper throwing them away. Shards of the book case litter the floor like a cruel puzzle, where the book case once stood was now the beginning of a dark and twisted Maze.


End file.
